‘Stay’ lead singer Maurice Williams dead at 86

Maurice Williams, who was a rhythm and blues singer, died at the age of 86

The music composer was known with his backing group the Zodiacs, which became one of music’s great one-shot acts with the classic ballad Stay.

According to an announcement from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, the legendary musician died on August 6th. However, the details of his death were not disclosed at the time, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Before Williams began a studio session in 1960 with the Zodiacs, the writer and performer had been in various harmony groups. However, they unexpectedly made history near the end with their recording of Stay, which Williams had dashed off as a teenager a few years earlier.

The song, which was barely over a minute and 30 seconds, was the shortest chart-topper and the group’s only major success which had found a spot at No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart in 1960.

Williams revealed in an interview that the song was inspired by his teenage crush, Mary Shropshire.

“(Mary) was the one I was trying to get to stay a little longer,” Williams said in an 2012 interview. “Of course, she couldn’t.”